How Do You Keep the Music Playing?
by Ja ne Kat
Summary: Sarah needs a tutor so that she can learn to play Piano and Didymus knows just who to call upon to help her. Every happy ending needs a starting point as this is theirs. Rated for Language. Cause they cannot NOT fight. Labyrinth Portraiture in Oils by Bluebirdie found on deviant art, thanks KELLY!
1. How Do You Make it Last?

How Do You Make it Last?

Ja ne, Kat

This is supposed to have a Beta reader but she's taking so long that I thought I would post just this first chapter up and see what you guys think, since most of you enjoyed reading "Snippets of Time." I don't do dark so well, so my version of Jareth is probably nicer than most. These are long chapters and will take me awhile to post them up (this one was 14 pages typed and more than 5000 words).

THIS IS NOT a continuation of Snippets, they are two very different stories and will not have them same OC's, poor Gwen. The rating is for the potty mouth and cheekiness on the OC in this chapter. The song words used for the main title and all the chapter titles are all from the same song.

Song: How Do You Keep the Music Playing?

Artists: Tony Bennet and George Michael.

A really pretty duet, I thought.

OXOXOX

How Do You Make it Last?

"ARG!"

The newly 18-year old Sarah Williams growled as she stormed into her room, tossing her coat and purse at one wall and her boots at the other. The teenager ignored it. Her family wasn't home they had taken Toby and gone out to do Soup Kitchen Volunteer work. Basically a photo op to make her father look good, as he ran for the District Attorney's Office.

"Didn't you bother to _practice_? At least try not to stomp on the peddles! Don't take your ineptitude out by smashing the keys! He and Karen probably PAID him to be a nasty jerk to me so I'd give up and pick something more respectable! Well have I got news for them, I won't! If I didn't give in to _HIM_ and his _Labyrinth_, there is no way in hell I'll give in to some pathetic tutor either."

"Milady? Have I come at a bad time, mayhap?"

The voice had her spinning around to face the well-dressed border collie now shown in her mirror. Concern in his brown eyes as he took in to the normally reserved teen in front of him.

"Didymus! No. Oh gosh, I'm sorry you saw that. No. You guys can almost always come. I love your company."

"Then my I inquire as to what has irked your infamous temper so, Milady?"

She heaved a sigh as she looked at him, last ditch plan forming in her mind, maybe . . . just maybe.

"Can you play an instrument, Sir Didymus?" She lowered herself into her vanity chair as she asked the question and when she looked up it was to take note of the blush now staining his cheeks.

"I . . . I can play the Piccolo with passable skill, Lady" He told her softly eyes lowered to the ground. She smiled warmly at him to help ease his embarrassment.

"Really? That's amazing my good sir knight!"

"But not a seemly skill for a knight to have."

"Oh well, that's just a load of crap. I think it is a perfect skill for a knight. They are not the killing machines that warriors are and having several and varied skills, proves that. It also seems a very good way to distract rescued damsels, such as myself, from their problems."

A nod and a brief smile.

"Then you will not mind if I use you for my practicing?"

"That sounds lovely. Does anyone else play?"

"Ah . . . well if you do not say that I told you, friend Hoggle can play the fiddle."

"Oh my god, really?" Amused as she tried to picture it.

"Yes Lady, I believe he learned from his mother. Some of the Goblins can even play the drums."

"No piano players then?" she asked on a sigh, plan crumbling before it could start.

"Ah . . . well there is one but-"

"Great! Do you think they would be willing to teach me? I need to play an instrument to qualify for my secondary courses at University."

"I thought you were to take schooling to assist children with their problems?" he asked confused. She smiled and nodded.

"Child Psychology, yes, for two very important reasons. I still love to act though so it will be what I minor in. However, they require you to be proficient in an instrument to get in those classes. Since my GPA is so high they are willing to give me until their auditions at the end of August to learn one. The Teacher my father hired is out to make me fail and when I mentioned getting a new one it caused an argument big enough I was grounded for a week."

With that she held her hands out so he could see the backs of them . . . and the large blue bruise that now ran just under her knuckles.

"He slammed the keyboard lid down on my hands today. I'm running out of ideas. Please, won't you ask for me Didymus?"

The sight of the purposefully inflicted harm on her made the little knight more then angry and the growl he held back came out in his words.

"To halt your pain Lady, anything. Do I have your permission to ask and bring the individual here tomorrow to work out payment?"

"Yes that will work fine. Toby will be at daycare and my Parents both have appointments in the afternoon. Just remember to be careful, in case Karen's Spa plans change."

"Then by your leave, Lady."

The mirror went dark.

OXOXOXO

"It's for the fair maiden. To prevent further harm. At **best**, he will say no, and I will give the Lady my condolences."

The pep talk wasn't helping the case of nerves the little knight felt staring up at the Castle he and the others had been ordered from since the Lady's run. He walked quickly and quietly through the silent halls towards the Monarch's study. Being familiar with the king's habits, the knight knew he often spent the later hours of the day locked in there, after tossing the goblins out for the night to get his paper work done. He wavered again outside the door but picturing her sad face and injured hands gave him the last bit of courage he needed to knock on the door.

"Enter." The voice, while still frightening and commanding, sounded distracted.

As quietly as possible he slipped into the room letting the door shut behind him and dropping into a perfect court bow. Several minutes passed before there was any sound other then quill on paper was heard, then-

"Do I dare ASK what is so urgent you would seek me out before I lifted your ban? Or shall I just banish you to the nearest Oubliette?" A resigned sigh. "Rise."

"I ask only that you hear me out before invoking my punishment, my King."

"You have two minutes then knight. I hope you do not waste your last words."

"I have come before you because harm has befallen the Lady Sarah that I find you in the perfect position halt, my Lord. I have come bearing an entreaty from the Lady that requests your presence."

Her name had washed all the emotion off the Fae's face.

"Your story requires elaboration, knight."

"The Lady seems to be trying to learn to play the Piano for her una. . . uni-"

"University." the Monarch supplied.

"Yes that. Thank you, Sire. As I understand it the man hired to teach her is being malicious and cruel. Today, whoever this brigade is, he went so far as to slam the key case down on her hands. It has left a terrible bruise and before she realized I was there she seemed quite vexed by the thought that he may have been paid to discourage her from learning by her own father."

"And does she know _whom_ you are asking?"

"No Sire. Though without knowing she gave me permission to bring her entreaty to the Tutor I mentioned. She asked that I bring the Tutor to her room tomorrow just after Above's 3pm to work out details and if all goes well payment."

"Such trust you inspire knight. Are you sure you want to risk losing it by bringing a _villain_ such as I?"

His face and voice were still so blank, but Didymus was sure that this was an important question to his King.

"Why you may be forced to play the villain at times Sire, I know that she will not come to harm while under your care. THAT is the kind of trust you inspire. Besides the Lady has learned much in the few Above years that have past and sees many things that a girl-child of only 15 may have missed. Indeed I believe Hoggle recently told me of her having to resort to violence to halt the advances of a young boy. When Hoggle asked her why she did not give him a kiss her answer was that 'He was not the one she was waiting for.'"

A brief flash of hope in those eyes before it was quickly masked.

"Very well Knight. I will see you tomorrow afternoon. You are dismissed."

"Many thanks my Lord. Good evening and pleasant dreams to you."

OXOXOX

They appeared in her bedroom at a quarter of 3 the next day. The knight waving the king into the window seat where he would be out of direct view from the door as Didymus got comfortable on the vanity chair, where she would be sure to see him first. 20 minutes later another door in the house opened with a loud bang and a well recognized voice, thick with tears, called out.

"Dad? Karen? Is anyone home?" When her call got no answer, she directed her next words to the knight. "Didymus! If your here, I'll be up in a minute, sorry for the wait!" Both the Fae and the Knight had hearing enough to catch the small sobs that followed. As a set they both headed for the door and followed the small sounds to the kitchen.

"Milady!" Didymus exclaimed when he saw the blood she was trying to clean off her face.

"Did . . . Didymus! Oh geez. I just wanted to get this cleaned . . .-" she trailed off as she realized he wasn't the only one in the room with them and watched as her eyes widened as she took in the fact that he was there and the plain Aboveground clothes he was wearing, black jeans and a tight black satin shirt with a leather jacket over top to go with the glamour he used to make him appear to be about 22 to 24, all before _**his name**_ fell from her lips on a soft whisper.

"Jareth . . ." A tug on his heart and soul that nearly undid his calm.

"Milady. The only Goblin Kingdom resident that plays piano is his Majesty, who has been generous enough to agree to come here and work out payment and details, if you are still seeking aid." Didymus interjected quickly, hoping to stall any fireworks that may have been incoming.

Without waiting for her answer, he moved forward and took the cloth from her now limp fingers and placed it back over the cut on her forehead, using the motion to turn her hands and inspecting the now purple bruises on the backs of them as he did so.

"Tell me, how did this harm befall you, Precious?" he asked the question softly, as if she was a rabbit he was afraid to startle.

"I have this sinking feeling you won't believe me if a I say I tripped into a door?"

The tone was light and teasing, he was pleased to note, with not a trace of fear he had thought to hear, held within it. There was also a real plea to ignore it in there too, one he was going to miss.

"I should say not. After all you have been through; surely you can do much better than THAT old excuse." Despite his anger, he worked to keep his tone light and even to match hers, it would not help his plans any if he frightened her, when he had only just been invited back into her life.

"Umm. . ."

"M'LADY!" the Knight scolded sternly.

"You really may as well just tell the truth Precious. I hear that you are a terrible liar."

Her eyes darted back and forth between them for a few seconds, before she came to the conclusion that this was not a battle she was going to win.

"The Metronome fell off the piano." She said softly as her eyes found her feet.

"On purposed?" Didymus growled out before he could.

"After yesterday, I think so but, it COULD have been an accident." she eyes came back up to meet his, unease finally settling into them. "Are you really able to teach me . . . Goblin King?"

Oh no, he was _not_ about to let her back track on him, not after she had already _Called_ him twice.

"_A title_ now? What happened to the name you used when you first saw me, Sarah mine?"

"I . . . umm . . ."

"I remember you as a lot less shy and with much to say." he told with her, his regular smirk firmly in place, hoping to get a reaction out of her. He was not disappointed as just like that her eyes snapped up to his and that spark of defiance lit them up like emeralds.

"Fine then. I didn't use your name the second time because you never bothered to **give** it to me. I really do need your help and didn't want to seem to be insulting to you by calling the King by his first name. Secondly I didn't use it because I didn't want Hoggle to get in trouble for having given it to me. Is that good enough reason, _Your Highness_?"

The sarcasm dripped from the last sentence and had him grinning at her.

"Oh infinitely, but as YOU are the Champion of the Labyrinth and not one of my subjects or even a resident of Underground, Jareth shall be fine for you."

That said he placed the bloodied cloth on the counter and placed his now ungloved hand in its place. Magic and warmth seemed to sink into her from that point of contact and pulled a gasp from her throat.

"What?" a breathless question that caused his smirk to widen.

"I think you will find that worked much better than the First Aid you were planning to do. Now shall we work out the terms for these lessons?"

She spun from facing him to take in her appearance in the stainless steel of the fridges door, forehead completely unmarred and whole again.

"Oh . . . wow. Now THAT is just awesome!" She exclaimed using her hand to poke at where her injury had been. "I'm not really sure what to offer you though. I had thought that Didymus was bringing one of the Firey's or maybe a Goblin, I was going to offer to make them baked goods and such but, being that you're a King with a kingdom to run I have no clue what I would offer you for your time."

_You_

The word was right there, on his tongue, but a sharp motion out the corner of his eyes stopped him. Didymus was shaking his head behind her back, obviously aware of what his King would ask for and hoping to stop him before he offered too much and scared her the young lady before him . . . again. That was always his problem with her, when she was in motion and challenging him with her fire flashing in her eyes, he always forgot that she was STILL young. Not yet an adult by her _own_ people's standards let alone his.

So he paused to consider the best way to work toward the goal he wanted. She was still staring at him, eyes alight with wonder at the bit of magic he'd cast and a small smile still aimed in his direction as she waited for his answer.

"This may take us awhile. If you are comfortable enough with me, might I suggest I act as your escort and we discuss it over coffee? I will even let you pick the place so that I cannot be accused of trickery later."

"Sure! OH. . . but Didymus . . ." She trailed off guiltily, having forgotten he could not follow them out of her house as the Fae before her could.

"Fear not, Fair Maiden. I have my sworn duty to get back to and have no fears for your safety while his Majesty is your escort. I shall see you at our regular time in two days."

With a bow to his Rulers he scampered away upstairs, leaving the two of them alone in her kitchen. A fact which caused her to freeze for a moment. Alone with the GOBLIN KING! While he had been charming so far would that vanish now that Didymus was no longer there?

"Afraid now, are you Precious? And just when we were getting along so well."

She took a deep breath and turned from facing him to head toward the front hall. If he wanted to play nice, that was okay with her, If trouble started she'd deal with it when it happened, same as she'd done before.

"Of _**you**_? Don't **you** just _wish_? Do you still want to go for coffee? I'm terrible at making it, so that would be your safest option."

A smirk at the wording of her sentence.

_You have no idea just how much I wish._

"Lead on then, Precious thing."

XOXOXOX

They ended up at a locally owned coffee shop a few blocks down from Sarah's house. It had large, comfy mismatched furniture arranged for small and large groups and, thankfully, a French press. It was empty other then the two of them which struck him as odd since she had been so nervous when they had first been left alone. Till a voice called out from the back of the building.

"Sarah honey? That you? Give me just a second and I'll be right up. this Blasted machine is giving me grief again!"

"Thanks Kel. I'll just make myself comfy up here while you order a new dishwasher.

"Don't I almost wish. Now be a good girl till I get there."

With a small smile on her face, Sarah turned and headed to a nearly hidden alcove in the back corner of the shop lined with book shelves and two large wing-back chairs arranged in a half circle around a short cherry wood table. Flopping down into one of the chairs with a relived sigh she relaxed and nodded for him to settle in the other chair.

"I love it here. Kel lets me sit for hours over a single coffee and read the books here, or do my homework."

Before he could ask why she would read here for hours rather than in the comfort of her own home, the back door banged open and a . . . dwarf? Yes, an older Dwarf woman, with red-gold hair and eyes of granite, stood there with a steaming cup in one hand and an annoyed look on her face. Hot chocolate from the smell.

"Here you are Darling girl. Get tired of watching the spectacle on T.V.? OH!" she exclaimed when she first saw him. "You didn't tell me you had company Hon, and my, he's hot . . .-" That was when she saw through his glamour. "YOU'RE MAJESTY!"

Sarah's eyes went wide as her friend dropped into a curtsy, apologises fumbling out of her mouth. This was **not** how he had intended the afternoon to go.

"My most sincere apologies Lord. If I had known it was you I would have come and taken your order right away. I-"

"STOP!" Sarah shouted. "Kel, don't worry about it. I told you not to rush, so Jareth won't hold it against you, I'm sure. It's really not that big a deal. So, come on get up Kel, it cannot be good for your back injury to be bent like that, besides what if costumers came in?" The dwarf's eyes had widened at the familiar way the girl addressed him as Sarah tried to pull her up right.

"Please do rise. I am not here for a formal visit. The Lady Sarah invited me as her guest."

"Yes of course, sire, thank you. Would you like something to drink?"

"It has been a while since I had some of your coffee, if you would, I would love a dark roast done in your French press."

"Oh! Of course, sire. Do you still take it black and strong enough to sit up and bark?" She asked with her own smug smirk firmly aimed in his direction, this was why her son deserved to be on fairy detail. She and Hoggle were just too cheeky for his own piece of mind.

"Please."

"Right away sire." She said as she hustled off to begin.

"Well _that_ was unexpected. How do you know Queen Kelandra, Precious?"

"Queen?" she laughed. "I don't know about Queen, but I've know Kel forever, since just after I turned five."

"Precious thing, I hate to break it to you, but 13 years is really not all that long."

An inelegant snort as she tossed a mischief filled grin in his direction.

"Well it feels like forever to those of us who aren't completely older than most dirt."

Teasing. . . she was attempting to tease him. He found that he could not remember the last time anyone had felt comfortable enough in his presence to do so, long before he'd become King of the Goblins surely.

"Hmmm. . . I am willing to forgive you this once for your inexperienced exaggerations."

"Inexperienced! Why you -"

"Of course, last I heard you are now 18 and still never been kissed."

She choked on air and blushed pink from the tips of her ears right down to where her skin vanished into her shirt. Whatever else he might have teased her with was interrupted as Kelandra rushed back up with his coffee to save her.

"For you sire, with my compliments. I hope you find it to your tastes." With a half curtsy she hurried back through the first door she'd come through, though he would bet she hadn't gone far, in fact the door seemed to be propped open a crack by fingers.

"So, is there anything reasonable I can trade you?" Sarah asked, taking a swallow of her drink to help clear her throat from her coughing fit.

"I do not suppose I could convince you to wish away your current Tutor, could I?"

The question, asked in all seriousness, brought a smile to her face, even as she shook her head at him.

"No, but I will freely admit to having thought about it before. The thought of him suspended over your Bog, with goblins tossing things at him as gotten me through many a lesson."

"Ah . . . I did so miss your infamous cruelty, Precious." he told her, with a smirk as the idea grew in his head. "Goblins can lift several times their own weight, Those rocks your friend called for you last time, the goblins removed without even breaking a sweat."

"That's . . . oh wow, ouch. I guess I'll just stick with my crueler thought then."

"I am not sure. I am rather enjoying the image your first one conjures."

"Well if you say so, though the other one is MUCH better."

"Then please, do try and impress me."

Her eyes narrowed at him as he issued the challenge.

"I was thinking one day you might leave him in one of your holes, all alone with the goblins . . . AND their chickens..."

The short burst of laughter escaped that seemed to surprise even him.

"I have to admit defeat this round. That IS infinitely crueler. Are you quite sure that I cannot change your mind, Precious?"

A mock sigh as she pretended to reconsider.

"Alas no, I'm afraid I will have to stick with my first answer. Too much homework and studying to do, to attempt your Labyrinth again till school lets out for the summer."

"Such a pity. You Running would give me a nearly Goblin free day. " she would have believed the forlorn look on his face except that it was ruined by his smug grin. " Now let me see . . . what you _can_ trade me."

By this point she wasn't falling for it, he knew exactly what he wanted to ask for; all she had to do was be ready to run damage control on it.

"You, can trade me your friendship."

"What?" Her mind fumbling, as the request was not anything she had been expecting.

"We will work on being friends, past grievances . . . on both sides forgiven. Before you agree I do have one other condition."

"That would be?"

He let his best villain grin slide on to his face at the look of distrust on her face and in her tone, and by the flash in her eyes he knew she recognized it for what it was.

"Your lesson are to take place in my study. In Underground. That way I can have you learn for an hour and enjoy your company for a second hour, at which point I will return you to your home as though only an hour had past. Does that meet your narrow definition of 'fair', Precious?"

Her glared sharpened at the subtle insult and the even more disguised challenge.

"Since _someone_ saw it fit to expand my basis of comparison, I should think it's more than fair. I shall either bake or buy something for us to enjoy during the second hour. I do, however, have two . . . **conditions** of my own. The first being that I can only offer three nights a week right now and that number may get smaller when I begin University. Second . . . If we are really going to try and be friends then I am going to ignore your Rank unless the situation calls for it or is dire . . . because friends _**do not**_ try to trick and trap each other."

She raised her eyes to his mismatched ones and held out her hand.

"Well Goblin King? Do we have an Accord?"

He did some quick calculations. It was October Above if his math was correct, almost Halloween. that would give him nearly a full year before she went off to school and her life got hectic.

"Agreed." he told her taking her hand and laying a kiss just over the bruise, letting his magic sink into it to help speed it's healing along. "I will pick you up tomorrow at 7pm at your house."

"But my parents . . .-"

He placed a gloved hand over her protests

"Call your Tutor from here and cancel the rest of your lessons. If your parents ask tell them he made you uncomfortable and you were not learning much. To save them money you cancelled the lessons. You can tell them Kelandra suggested me because she knew me and I needed more volunteer hours for my own University programs. That way you can even tell them that your lessons are happening here at the shop. I have every faith she has a piano somewhere here."

"She has her own music room on the second floor, where she teaches her own music lessons. My parents won't let me learn from Kel. They say since I know her she'll be too kind to be able to teach me properly and why should he pay for a half-assed job?"

He nodded at her explanation and turned his attention to the Dwarf standing in the doorway watching the negotiations.

"Is all that agreeable Kelandra?"

"Yes sire, and I stand as witness to the agreement."

"Is that a _normal_ enough reason for your parents, Precious?"

"I suppose, but that doesn't mean they will agree. Can I reach you through the mirror like I do Hoggle or Didymus after I've talked to them?"

He nodded. Not at all impressed with what he was learning about her parents and just how she had come to meet him that first time.

"You certainly may. Now go and make your phone call and then I will escort you home."

"Hey Kel." She shouted after rolling her eyes at him. "CAN I borrow your phone?"

"Oh honey, only if you promise to make him feel ant size and cause his dick to shrivel and fall off."

"Oh I sure will."

OXOXOX

The dwarf moved over to stand next to him as Sarah headed into the back.

"How _is_ my wish?" she asked him softly.

"Right now? Probably shirking his duties and visiting Didymus to find out how the Lady is, who will admit to having told Sarah about his being able to play fiddle. The duties not being done I will punish him for when I get back. Other than that? As free as you wished him and still ignorant of what his fate should have been." He turned from watching the door Sarah had vanished through, to study the ex-Queen standing beside him. "Is there something else you think I should be aware of Kelandra?"

"Permission to speak freely sire, without harm to my wish?"

"You may."

She turned her own patented glare on him, one that had cowed the Dwarf's Merchants guild for years uncounted.

"Do try and do it right this time and _ask_ the lovely girl. Demands on a spirit that defiant will never work. Do also remember that she is still _young_ and inexperienced with men, so it will require much of your time and all your patience if you wish to win her forever, more so with the way she was raised. One last thing, there is a young man . . . hunting her, and from what I've seen has no respect for the word 'no'. My understanding is that when she told her Step-mother the awful woman told her not to lead boys on if she wasn't willing to follow through, and what more could they ever want from her looking as pretty as she did? I would have passed this information on to you sire, but as part of the cost for my wish I have no window to Underground anymore."

He sighed. No matter how he wanted to, he could not change to terms of a wish to fit his own whims.

"Your first two points HAD occurred to me . . . eventually, Kelandra. I thank you for informing me of the last. I was unaware of the severity of the situation."

"Anytime sire. I owe at least that much if not more. Do feel free to drop by anytime. Teenagers often 'hangout' here and the weekends and I hear all the gossip from the Lady's school."

"Even without the Lady? You would extend a Permanent Invitation to the **Goblin King**?"

The older dwarf snorted and turned to face him as her power caused a terrible weight to fill the room.

"I may no long _be_ Queen of the Dwarves, but you do not now or **ever** frighten me Jareth le Roi. Despite what I pretend to be to hide, _you_ of all people know better. Things are never what they appear."

Then gone, just like that, as the door banged open again and Sarah stood framed in the doorway.

"That conceited JERK! He told me it was about 'Fucking time' and with how 'Uncoordinated' I am he is amazed I lasted as long as I did!"

The dwarf turned to the irate girl with a warm smile.

"Now honey, forget about it. Jareth IS an excellent piano player. Just remember that YOU asked him to teach you, so don't be giving him trouble over little orders and you'll do just fine."

"Kel! I do not argue over every little thing!" She exclaimed hands coming up to rest on her hips.

"As you stand there and argue over advice?" Jareth tossed out softly, causing her to turn to face him, mouth hanging open in surprise.

"SEE Kel! He's picking on me already!" Before either of them could say anything she carried right on. "Besides if he didn't have that smug, superior, holy-than-though tone in his voice I wouldn't feel the need to knock him down a peg!"

"Oh? And just when is this peg knocking supposed to happen?" He asked, making sure to say it in _just_ that tone of voice. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder as she paused at the door.

"I don't know about you, but I seem to remember someone's feathers getting awful ruffled over a simple _piece of cake."_ Then her mouth thinned into a frown "Hey! You STILL owe me the two hours you stole in the tunnels!"

"Oh? Do I" He inquired as he headed through the tables toward the door. "I think I'll take it as payment for the damage done to the Goblin city."

"Oh, it was only a **few** rocks, your _Kinglyness_. Nothing you couldn't handle I'm sure."

"I still got stuck fixing it . . ."

The argument cut out as the pair left her shop and Kel found herself smiling after them for minute before she sighed.

"Please Goddess, let this time be different. Let them BOTH have learned from past mistakes."

OXOXOX

End Chapter one.

So is it as okay a Snippets? There are a ton of questions left unanswered, and there are supposed to be as most will get answered as I go. But this will be LOOONG story and it will take me a while to type out and post. Let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading

Ja ne

Kat


	2. Stop the Song From Fading too Fast?

How Do You Keep the Song From Fading too Fast

Ja Ne, Kat

The Idea of a Heartmate, was an idea i read in a book titled "Not your Ordinary Faerie Tale." By Christine Warren from her series The Others. I Will explain it in more detail as the story goes though i'm sure it is an idea that has been done before I hope to do it differently, but i thought the title was an good way to describe it.

Again still no beta and i just got my comp back from the shop . . . i blew up another fan . . opps? So i no longer have a valid copy of word . . . i can't remember the activation key. So i'm using a new word proceser please bear with me.

A big BIG thank you to all who reviewed the first chapter. You will get your answers eventually . . . just not right away. Just a shout out to some.

MusicOverMatter- I loved you review and the way it . . . flowed was awesome lol.

HachimansKitsune- i may take you up on the beta offer, if this new program doesn't work right.

Katrina Lonestar- thank you for pointing that out i have gone back and got them all i hope. lol the problem was I typed the first chapter in . . . note pad. Please let me now if there's any similar problems with this chapter.

XOXOXOX

She sat looking into her blank mirror hours later. She and her father had argued bitterly over her dismissal of the tutor and he'd been about to tell her flat out "No." till she had pointed out that the new lessons would cost him nothing and helping someone graduate would look very good to the voters. She sighed and rubbed the new bruises on her shoulders from where he'd grabbed her at one point. She'd just finished telling Jareth the good news and claiming to be tired so he wouldn't notice the way she held herself.

"Please let this work." She whispered to the moon. "I don't want to be here any longer."

OXOXOX

He'd thought long and hard about which of his current Aboveground persona's to use to meet his Heartmate's father, but in the end had to settle on the one that, while a little older then Sarah, would be on level playing ground with the high profile lawyer.

Sarah and her father must have been waiting for him by the door because it opened and they walked out on to the porch as soon as he'd pulled the sleek black Jaguar into the driveway. The glare he gave Jareth made him very glad he'd gone with Aboveground casual. both the T-shirt and pants were black and tight and he hoped it would have the man worrying over his daughter all night, over that he was yet again wearing the leather jacket . . . because his Champion seemed to get distracted by the sight of him in leather. A deep breath to keep the calm he would need for this encounter before he eased himself out of the car. He quickly headed toward the girl, tension screaming off of her, as he ignored the man standing beside her.

"Miss. Williams?" At her confused nod he smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Jareth Marquis. Kel has told me much about you and I'm looking forward to working with you." He sent her an easy smile as she placed her hand in his and he kissed the back of it, feeling the man glaring at them and clenching his teeth.

"It's Sarah, if you please. Thank you for volunteering your time to help me."

He smiled, glad she remembered that she was not supposed to know him.

"It is my pleasure. I really do need the hours for my own program." With that he turned his smirk on the older human who was now completely beside himself. "Thank you for your agreement on such short notice, ."

Seeing that he now had Jareth's attention he puffed himself up with his indignation and leveled what was a pretty good glare for a human on the Fae king.

"I'm not sure I understand why her lessons couldn't be done here. We do have a piano."

"I can think of at least two good reasons for it. The first being that people who are just learning tend to be nervous about the people they care about hearing them make mistakes. Which you have to concede is not very conductive to learning. I'm sure that's why she went to the other tutor's house for lessons is it not?"

He left it at that and started to turn back to Sarah when the man took the bait.

"The second reason?" The contempt in the man's voice made this so much better.

"I thought it would be obvious. Kel told me you have a young son, and I would not want our lessons to interfere with his sleeping." The "Are you stupid?" Jareth let his tone of voice say for him. He did not want his Champion mad at him. The man must have heard it though, because his next sentence was a clear attempt to try and gain back footing.

"Next time Sarah will meet you at Kel's then. To further avoid disturbing him." It was said between clenched teeth, not use to being treated without difference.

"If that is your wish. I just thought you would feel better knowing that your young daughter was not walking around unescorted this late at night."

The older human had yet again lost ground and he seemed to know it, he however rallied himself to try and outwit his opponent.

"Yet I should trust her safety to a virtual stranger who pulls up driving a car most people twice his age can't afford? For all I know you could be some big time drug dealer or gangster."

He finally let his contempt for the _man_ (a term he was using loosely) fill his face.

"As my father is the current CEO of the first bank of Edinburough, sir comments like that could be misconstrued as slander and cause an international incident. You would not want that so close to your very important vote, now would you?" he spun from the now pale human. "Shall we Lady Sarah?"

Without hesitation she place her hand on his arm and let him lead her to the car, leaving her father to stand on the doorstep gaping after them like a fish.

OXOXOX

Nothing more was said till they had arrived safely in his study in the Goblin Castle. Sarah's unending curiosity getting the best of her.

"Was even _half_ of that true?" she demanded, worry on her face, in her eyes. With a relieved sigh he dropped the Glamour and leaned against his desk for a moment before shaking his finger at her.

"Now, now Precious, the deal is lessons first. So, if you would kindly take a seat?"

She turned in the direction that he indicated and gasped. A grand piano took up one corner of the huge study. It looked as though it would easily take up her whole room and must have been older than her _country_ for all that it sat in pristine shape. It had little embellishment on it though it was painted a lovely, deep mahogany colour and had what looked like **real** ivory keys and silver highlights on the legs. The benches leather was matching silver, and its legs were black.

The room itself was not overdone. The walls were covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves and had a ladder that went around everything but the walls of windows that faced what must have been the castle gardens behind his rather large and rather cluttered black oak desk. In the evening light the most she could make out were trees in bloom that seemed to be . . . yup peach trees. She turned from her perusal of the piano looking confused, shouldn't it have gold and glitter? With a small sigh he answered her unasked question.

"An instrument should dazzle with the sound it can produce rather than how it looks, Precious. I can assure you that you would have a hard time finding one that sounds better.

"Will you . . . play for me?"

"How would that help you learn?" he asked confused at her embarrassment in the question.

"I've never . . . seen anyone else play. My last tutor said it was a waste of his valuable time and effort."

He stared at her for a second, as though trying to figure her out, but after a minute gave a small nod and headed over to the piano, running his hands over it lovingly and almost regretfully before sitting down on the bench.

"Do you have a particular piece in mind, or will anything do?" He asked looking up to where she now leant against the grove in the side. A small shrug and a shake of her head that sent her loose brown hair tumbling.

"I really don't know all that many pieces so, whatever you feel comfortable playing for me is fine. I just want to see how your hands should move."

Another small nod from the Fae as he closed his eyes to think of a piece he could play. Her nearness must have been getting to him as he set his hands on the keys and began to play without noticing. The first few notes sounded lonely and sad and seemed to fill the room around them with those emotions, more so since they were quite simple. His long fingered hands moved gracefully across the keys, even in the gloves, with a confidence she sorely lacked. Then softly, he began to sing along with the music. So softly that Sarah was sure she either wasn't _meant_ to hear it, or he did it unconsciously, and it pulled her attention back from his hands to his face. The change was dramatic, although technically he _hadn't_ moved a muscle. Yet, gone was the arrogant playful Goblin King and this . . . this oh, so serious stranger appeared to have taken his place. That change on his face forced her to commit the moment to memory.

_**Cover my eyes  
Cover my ears  
Tell me these words are a lie  
It can't be true  
That I'm losing you  
The sun cannot fall from the sky**_

_**Can you hear heaven cry**_

_**Tears of an angel x4**_

_**Stop every clock**_  
_**Stars are in shock**_  
_**The river would run to the sea**_

_**I won't let you fly  
I won't say goodbye  
I won't let you slip away from me**_

_**Can you hear heaven cry**_  
_**Tears of an angel x4**_

_**So hold on  
Be strong  
Everyday hope will grow  
I'm here, don't you fear**_

_**Little one don't let go x3**_

_**Cover my eyes**_  
_**Cover my ears**_  
_**Tell me these words are a . . . lie**_

There was absolute silence when the last note faded, as Sarah could only stare in open mouthed shock and painful guilt. It was only a hand full of moments, where time seemed to be stopped (and maybe it was) before her brain kicked in and she began to clap softly, not wanting to startle him as his eyes were still closed. At the soft sound they opened as he slowly turned to face her and before he could go make some comment or snap back to being the _Goblin king_ there was something she wanted to tell _this_ man. The one she had seen glimpses of only twice now. Here and now, and just before she'd said those final words and the world had collapsed around them.

"I'm sorry." The quiet words were loud in the silence and sounded torn. They widened his eyes a fraction and she hurried on, wanting to say this . . . **needing** to say this to him, before all masks went back up.

"I basically _demanded_ you take my brother. I forced you to play the villain in my own personal adventure. I insulted you, I ran amok through your Labyrinth and city, I'm sure I added hours or days on to what seems to be an already huge work load. Then, as if that wasn't enough, I had the unmitigated **nerve** to act like _I_ was the _injured_ party in the whole thing. So, I'm sorry. So much more, sorry then I can ever say that you got stuck with such a . . . a rotten, ungrateful and unwanted brat."

The words forced out, she offered the man still sitting before her in shock a wobbly version of her usually smile and was surprised when his eyes closed. Disappointment stabbed at her as when he opened them again the Goblin King was yet again sitting before her and he stood in one graceful move to walk around the piano and stand in front of her, blue and green eyes still so sad. She opened her mouth to ask what she had done wrong now but was cut off as he grabbed her hand and lifted it to lay a kiss over her knuckles. His lips, she noticed were soft and cool and the touch of them had his magic sweeping through her system like a warm wind.

"Your apologize are accepted, Sarah mine." A small smirk as he reached up to flick her nose. "Now if you will take a seat at the Piano, I'd like to see the last piece you were working on with your tutor."

OXOXOX

He watched as she played Canon in D, a piece far beyond a beginner's level and finally stopped her after she stumbled through her third mistake. He now had a good idea of her current capabilities. He then walked her through some simple scales for practice and to get her hands used to moving and changing position on the keys, telling her to use them to warm up before she practiced. That done her gave her a few simple pieces to play when she arrived home, and hopefully some that she would know. The hardest of the three being Beethoven's 9th, Ode to Joy section. All of this was done on automatic as her surprising apology ran through his head and before he knew it they were ten minutes into the second hour.

"That is a enough for you to work on till you come here next. Just remember to do the scales for warm up before you practice and the pieces I gave you should be easy enough to learn in two days."

She lowered her hands and before he had realized her intent, tossed her arms around his neck in a hug.

"Oh my god, thank you so much! That was so much nicer then my other lessons and much easier to understand." She pulled back and he could see the triumphant smile that dominated her face. "Thank you Jar!"

She stood and went to her back pack and began rummaging through it as he considered how best to word his complaint, simple was probably best.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would not shorten it."

She turned to face him, paused in the act of pulling out whatever she was looking for.

"Shorten what?"

"My name."

She blinked up at him, looking adorably confused.

"Umm . . . okay, no problem. Is there a reason why?"

When he didn't answer she pulled out a plate of wrapped cookies and headed over to where he'd draped himself in one of the two chairs in front of the fire place on the wall near the piano.

"Jareth?"

"Hmm?" a noncommittal sound, staving off her question awhile longer, while he figured out how best to answer her without lying.

"_Is_ there a reason?"

A pause as she set the plate down on the cherry wood coffee table in front of the fire that the two chairs surrounded, his silence prompting her to continue.

"I wasn't sure what kind of sweets you like or even **if** you liked them at all. I made simple sugar cookies and figured we could go from there." When he only nodded at her explanation, she offered a compromise. "Will you tell me someday?"

"I will think about it."

She shrugged and seemed to ponder what she wanted to say next. To his immense surprise it was fairly easy.

"What's your favourite colour? Mine is yellow." She offered.

"Green." He thought about it. "Why yellow?"

"Because it reminds me a daisies and sunshine. Why green?"

"It reminds me of spring." _And your eyes_. He added silently in his head, before tossing out one of his own. "Favourite part of the Labyrinth?"

"Of the little I managed to see? Hmm . . . Good question, off the top of my head I'd have to say the Goblin City. I can just picture all the hijinks that must happen there and market day must get interesting. What's yours? You must have seen all of it, or pretty close too."

"I have." And because he had, he forced himself to think about it for a second. "There is a mountain in the south east corner that borders the Dragon lands, and if you walk behind the waterfall that runs down the north side, there is a small forest hidden inside of it. I often end up in there if I want to be alone and have quiet because there is nothing in there but the plants."

Her eyes light up with joy as she pictured what he just described.

"Oh wow . . . Now I'm going to be tempted to go looking for it. I think it would perfect to spend hours reading in there.

"I often find that it is. Though I ended up having to read the Above's Harry Potter books in the throne room. One of the few stories that the Goblins sat and _listened_ too."

It pulled the smile from her that he had hoped for as she thought about what she wanted to ask next.

"Favourite place Aboveground? I love Kel's shop."

"That _still_ exists? Or just ever?" There had been many over the years that he had loved, but now there was not too many places that he wanted to be found in. Too much pollution and grief in Aboveground for him to be bothered with it.

"Oh well . . . shit. I hadn't thought about that. Ever I guess."

"Hmm . . . a good question then, and a tough choice to make. I would have to say it is a tie between Camelot and Atlantis. And no I will **not** answer your half a million questions about them today. Favourite area of study?" He asked, smirking at her chest fallen expression.

"English because as far as I'm concerned math may as well be written in Greek for all that I understand it."

"Since they invented a lot of it you may find it easier to understand in Greek."

"Hey! You didn't state what you liked to study!"

"Indeed I did not. Now that I can choose I find I have a fondness for your Science. I like seeing how you make up for your lack of magic using only what is available to you. When I was actually studying? I found Conjuration to be a preferred area."

She nodded at the answers given and open her mouth to ask hers.

"Do you . . . no never mind . . . what's your-"

"Oh? Let's hear the first question, Pet." Smirking at the embarrassed blush that spread over her cheeks at the nickname.

"No. Thank you. I've been called cruel by you once already. I've tried to think about what I say since then."

"I insist on hearing it."

A heavy sigh from the girl as she reached forward to snag a cookie.

"Do you . . . _like_ your job?"

It seemed she was determined to spend the night surprising him and the fact that she had the maturity to realize that it might be a painful question, made him feel better for her having to Run. She had learned things and the lessons had stuck with her enough that she put them into practice.

"Do you truly **want** to know?"

She had lowered her eyes to the floor when she'd asked her question and his caused them to snap up to meet his.

"I do, but if don't want to tell, or can't tell me or if you think I will take it the wrong, then I'll wait. You could instead tell me if anything you told my father was true. I hope it was because I can tell you as soon as we left he called his private investigator to check out your credentials."

"Hmm. Oh yes! The High King's current Aboveground persona is indeed the CEO of the bank. He is also Duke of Edinburough, which makes me a real Lord."

"High King?" And of course she would pick the part he wanted her to ignore. "I thought you said he was your dad?"

"I did indeed." He smirked wide at the stunned look on her face.

"The High King of Underground is your FATHER?" A pause as the rest of the thought hit her. "That makes you-"

"His only son and heir, inheritor of the lands of Avalon and one day King of all Underground." He waited for the normal fear, awe and general brown-nosing those titles always brought and was stunned when she reached out and cuffed him lightly on the back of the head.

"What?" he growled at her.

"It's a wakeup call. All of those fancy ass titles aren't going to get you out of our deal. I'm still ignoring rank unless necessary."

OXOXOXOX

Hours later, long after her warmth had left the room, he sat once again at the piano bench just staring at the keys. Kelandra had mentioned to him that Sarah often hid at the coffee shop because her father was often in the media's eye, more so now then ever before, since he was running for office. Sarah was expected to act and be a certain way at all times, even within her own home. Kelandra had told him she'd placed a small spell around the shop so that while people remembered Sarah being there, they didn't remember what she had been doing there.

A sigh as he considered the plan he'd put into motion for her visit. His gloves kept him safe from the rest of the world and, with very few exceptions, worked perfectly. In Underground he was called an Object Reader. If he touched an inanimate object bare-handed his mind was filled with the strongest thoughts and feelings people had while touching said object. Things like fear, hate and love could linger for eons before fading. It didn't work on people directly . . . that wasn't _his_ curse, but he had to make his own things.

Clothes were easily conjured from his magic and part of the reason he had excelled at his studies in that area. The furniture in his bedroom and here in the study had either been made by skilled craftsmen wearing gloves, or. . . as in the case of the piano, he had made himself. Normally such pieces were covered in their own spell-shield 'gloves', so that he could always touch them without his gloves. His little mortal however, was trying her tricks on him and keeping secrets that could get her hurt, so he had removed the shield on the piano, so that he could have access to the thoughts she'd been taught to conceal.

A single touch of his hands to the keys told him three things. The first being that her shoulders hurt due to bruises there . . . that hadn't been on her in the coffee shop, which left her only one place to have picked them up, at home. The next thought was that she was considering skipping her last class the next day at school to avoid a boy that would not leave her alone. The last was that she wished the senate would hurry up and vote. She was tired of her father's PR work, and more, she was tired of being forced to smile and pretend to be happy.

A deep breath to steady himself before he followed the threads of her thoughts deeper. She had been truly worried that the things he had told her father were lies and that this would end up being her only lesson. A different worry that her father would find out she was in contact with her mother and had been since just before her Run. The woman had begged her daughter for a second chance and was willing to earn it at Sarah's convenience.

Then he reached further to the only other thought she had, had while playing.

And came face to face with himself playing the piano. His annoyance at himself for not knowing he had been singing, nearly causing him to lose her train of thought. It had made her pause though and had tossed her memory back to their last moment together at the end of her Run. Her surety that it was one last test because why would **he** think of her a valuable when no one else did. Then nearly overwhelming guilt as he'd vanished and his crystal had burst in her finger tips, letting her feel the sorrow her refusal had caused her him.

He came back to himself with a jerk, her thoughts now permanently trapped in his mind. He had not learned what he wanted but what he _had_ learned was still valuable. There would be other lessons in which to learn more, besides he had learned she also like yellow because it reminded her of his hair.

There seemed to be hope for them yet.

OXOXOXOX

End chapter 2

Man i hope i caught most of the mistakes . . . I've been over it 3 times. anyway this is all your going to get for awhile. i have another chapter of S&J in snippits to put out. A new DA2 chapter to give and i have to finish my Dissida set, but at least that one will be done and gone and OUT of my head . . . where it's been stuck. the 3 chapter is mostly done but . . . you will have to wait for me to finish and then proof.

Ja ne, Minna-san

Kat


	3. How Do You Lose Yourself In Someone?

Okay, Again I have a new program so please, please forgive any little mistakes I may have made. Though if you see a huge one please do point it out to me. I do want to know how well the new program did.

Thank you to all who reviewed the first two chapters. I haven't gotten a lot of humor in yet as one person requested but it IS coming. . . Later.

.

**_How Do You Lose Yourself In Someone, And Never Lose Your Way?_**

.

Ja ne

Kat

XOXOXOX

The next couple of weeks flowed in a similar pattern, though sometimes instead of asking each other questions, Sarah would bring her homework and they would talk while she worked on it, or Jareth would get his paperwork and lower himself to joining her as she got comfortable sprawled out on the rug in front of his fireplace and work together in comfortable silence, broken by work related questions on both parts. Sarah's usually about her homework, (and her father was glad her grades had risen even farther than before.) Jareth's usually about the correct use of modern slang. He enjoyed fitting it into his official letters to confuse the other rulers of the Underground.

Kelandra and Sarah had worked some miracle on her father two weeks prior and she had spent a holiday weekend at the Castle. Her family had gone to visit her step-mother's family and Sarah was not welcomed there. So she and Kelandra had made up a Thanksgiving feast and Sarah had arrived in the formal Dining room with it. Kelandra's magic drawing his immediate attention.

He had teleported to the room, his angry outburst stilled on his tongue when he caught sight of her. Kelandra must have picked her outfit out, because she stood there in a gown very like the one from her ballroom dream years ago. This time however the dress was of the darkest black satin, a Silver Star motif covered the front of the bodice and the skirt's darkness was broken by glints of light when she moved, and he would bet that it had real gems sewn right into it. Her shocked face as she twirled in it just confirmed his thoughts, only Kelandra would have the gumption to dress the Labyrinth's Champion without her permission and in his own colours. Something Sarah did not know.

"Precious?"

"AH! Jareth! You scared me!"

And she did seem flustered, though more from what she was wearing _for_ him, then him actually being there he was sure.

"You are surprised to see me in my own Castle?"

"I . . . well . . . Yes, I'd thought Kel was going to invite you to her shop to ask you about having dinner with both of us. So . . . umm Happy Thanksgiving anyway. Sorry to have invited myself, but I did bring lots of food."

"So I can see. You are always welcome here Precious one, you need no invite from me. Though I am glad for the food, some of the things that get made in the castle's kitchen for this Holiday are not fit for anything but goblins to eat."

He stopped to actually look at what she had come with. There was of course turkey and ham, mashed potatoes and turnips, corn and carrots, cranberry sauce and gravy and two kinds of pie for dessert.

"I think you may have brought too much for just the two of us though."

"Well, we thought there would be lots of mouths to feed. I figured the goblins would have been here at least." She told him.

"They have their own families in town to spend the Holiday with, why would I force them to spend it here?"

"I thought they would want to spend it here. I know I would."

"And so here you are, and with such delicious looking food, I am sure we can find people to feed, Didymus and the Yeti he adopted, if no one else, though I am sure Hoggle will follow them here and hide behind you. Squint has wanted to meet you since he got along with your brother so well and I am sure he would love to spend an evening with the Lady."

"Oh but I wouldn't want to interrupt their holiday. We could eat it just you and I, then I could leave you the leftovers to enjoy with them later."

It was a tempting offer to have her all to him self, but he would not ruin this for her. If her own family had seen it fit to abandon her on this very important Holiday, then he would collect the ones that meant the most to her.

"I have no doubt that Didymus would be quite vexed with both of us if we did not extend an invitation to him and his 'brother', as for the dwarf . . . well I would not be the one having to listen to his complaints at having been left out. Squint, well Squint will not care where he spends it."

And so saying he conjured three crystals and tossed them into the air where the vanished with a popping sound.

"Now, if you will help me set the table while we wait, it should all be in readiness for when your company arrives."

"And here I thought you would just wave your hand and place them there, or call in a couple of goblins to do it." She said with a smile.

"I could do so but sometimes it is a nice change to do things manually, and the dish cupboard is not far from here." He took a moment to dress himself in a modern suit to contrast with her old-fashioned dress before holding his arm out to her. "Walk with me, Lady Sarah?"

She blushed scarlet at the unusual formality he had been showing all evening, but with a nod took his arm anyway.

They had all come and the six of them had enjoyed the meal the two women had put together. The pies had turned out to be apple and pumpkin, tradition Sarah had told him before she had asked him to send her back to Kelandra's, where she was spending her long weekend, helping the dwarf with the work in her shop while her family was away. And that brought him back to the problem at hand, these two weeks later.

He had gone to Kelandra's this night only to find the curtains draw and the unglamoured dwarf standing on a ladder hanging sprigs of mistletoe from the ceiling.

"Lady Kelandra?"

Her head spun carefully to see him there, and she smiled in welcome, quite use to him showing up unannounced.

"Jareth. What are you doing here so late in the evening?"

"Wondering why you are hanging poison from your ceiling."

She gave a small chuckle as she finished hanging the one in her hand before climbing down the ladder to stand in front of him.

"I have been trying to decorate for Christmas. Care to be the first to try the homemade eggnog mix I'm going to serve in the store?"

Without waiting for his answer she went through the door to the back that she had propped open with a chair and came back a minute later with two mugs. One a regular ceramic mug and the second in an earthenware cup that she had wrapped in plastic to avoid touching.

"For you, so you don't have to have teenage thoughts stuck in your head. Sarah tells me that you gave her quite a party on Thanksgiving. Thank you for doing that for her."

"But why the poison?" He asked knowing the dwarf was storing away everything he said and not wanting to get caught admitting to anything before all was in place.

She laughed and pointed up to the ones she had over the public doors and some of the smaller tables.

"Aboveground there is a tradition that when two people stand under it they have to kiss. I'm surprised you've never heard of it."

"No, but now that you have been kind enough to tell me I think the Castle will have to be decorated with several. I actually came to ask you two questions."

She nodded like she had been expecting him to arrive and already knew what to tell him.

"Please do ask."

"Sarah will be staying with you again for this Holiday as well?"

"She stays with me for most of the holidays; her mother often comes to see her during their holiday break and to bring her a present. This year though she had to send it with her condolences as Sarah's step-father is in the hospital with pneumonia."

He nodded as most of the answer, he had been expecting, though he would have to check in on this hospital thing.

"Do you know what she wants for Christmas?"

Her obvious amusement at his question made him want to fidget like a child, but he fought the reaction down. It was an unacceptable for a King to fidget, and more so to worry over what a mortal would think. Most women would be happy with whatever he brought.

"No crafty plots for a present in motion then? And here I thought you would have been almost done with whatever you were planning already. Sorry to tell you but no, I have no clue what she wants. I bought her a couple of new books and some gift cards to her favourite stores. I assume you want something more personal?"

"If at all possible. My time is quickly running out." He said.

Her eyes darkened at the reminder that hung over his head every day and she began to swear under her breath "She's a no good, power hungry, selfish little bitch. And he should have shown her the door when he had the chance."

"Which helps _me_ not at all, Lady."

A sigh heaved out as she set her mug down and started to pace in front of her, trade off book shelves, heat from her anger radiating off her in waves. Sarah had explained the idea to him once. You could take a book so long as you left one in its place for someone else to read.

"Play to your strengths. You are teaching her music, write out her music for her and teach it to her."

"Yes of course, because weaving her own song helped my case so well the last time. She tossed a chair through the illusion and gave me an awful headache."

"You have _already_ woven her song?"

The incredulous tone set his teeth on edge; it was not as if he entertained women all the time at his Castle. In fact most took one look at the state of constant chaos it spent most of its time in and went right out the door, a fact he was glad for normally, but sometimes it left him amiss on proper manners and current interests of young mortals, when he did want to be bothered with them, and with Sarah he wanted to be more then bothered, he wanted to succeed. Failure could not be allowed to happen. So, during the dream, he'd giving voice to the words and melody that had been echoing in his head since he'd seen her that first time; curled up crying and nearly broken in her little park.

"You have an objection to that, Lady?" A cold, biting question as his temper flared and the drink in his hand froze solid, a waste of a perfectly good drink.

"Oh please, get over yourself. She was fifteen when you met her, for the sake of the Goddess, so YES I have an objection to you weaving her song for her when _you_ were still her enemy and **before** she even knew your name! You must have startled her something awful when the bond snapped into place _and_ your feelings washed over her. So the broken illusion and headache are your own damn fault for scaring a young girl like that."

He stood in one graceful motion, all power and anger, when the door burst open.

"KEL! HELP ME!"

_His_ Sarah stood framed in the door, her voice shaking and full of a fear that he had never heard in it or managed to put in it. Her shirt was gapping open over her bra as the buttons had been broken off and her jeans covered in dirt.

"Sarah what on earth-?" Kelandra managed to get out.

The girl took a look around the room and when she saw him some of the panic eased out of those eyes. A quick dash to him from the door and he found his arms suddenly full of trembling, frightened teenager. Her tears were already soaking into his shirt as she clung to him as if he was the last safe thing in her world.

"Send him away. Please I'm _begging_ you . . . please."

Their questions were answered as the door way was suddenly filled again. This time with a male that Jareth did not know. Maybe 6 foot 2 with curly blonde hair and a swimmers body, drunk from the way he was weaving.

"Th' fuck ya think you're doing? Ge' over here so I can take ya home like I'm s'posed ta, you fucking cock tease."

He foolishly ignored the other two in the room, as he marched forward with the obvious intent to pull the girl away from him. She gave a small gasp of fear as her arms tightened around his waist. A swift motion had him passing her off to Kelandra and placing his body in between hers and the threat.

"Get outta my way man I jus' wanna collect my girlfriend and get home."

"I AM NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Sarah yelled from where Kelandra was pulling her behind the counter.

"Ya right, according to our fathers you are, so le's go."

"I do not think she will be going anywhere with you. Not tonight, in fact not ever, and if you wish to still be _breathing_ come morning I strongly suggest that you forget you ever heard the young ladies name."

He summoned two of his own knives to his hands, one tossed into the table on the young man's right before the child could even register that his opponent was now armed. Eyes widening at the sight of the blades the teen raised his hands and stepped back toward the door, a little more sober then when he had first arrived as he eyed the, now glowing man in front of him.

"Holy fuck man. I'm gone okay? No matter how hot she is, no sex is worth this shit. Have the cold bitch if you want her. I'm fucking done with this. My father can date her if he wants the connections that badly."

A second later the door banged closed as Jareth let his temper slip and the child was tossed out the door and into the telephone poll outside, a curse, from the irate King, to always have to show his true nature to the world wrapped tightly around him. This left the three of them in blissful silence.

"Oh Sarah honey, why would you ever agree to go out with a boy that you already had to punch to get your point across?" Kelandra asked lowering the girl into a chair and using one of the table napkins to wipe at her tears.

"My father said I had to give him a chance or I would have to find a way to pay for my own schooling." She managed to get out between sobs. "It's too late now to apply for one of the grants, and he _knows_ that. What else could I do? I need to do well in school if I want out of there."

"Honey, I will loan you the money if it comes to that. Never do something like this again. If someone makes you uncomfortable you have the right to say no. Now come up stairs with me and I'll find you a shirt to wear, then you can join Jareth and I for eggnog. I was just trying out my new recipe."

A short nod from the girl as Kelandra lead her up the stairs and he found himself left alone in the shop. A deep breath to rein in the rest of his temper before he moved to get his knife from out of the table, filling the gap it left as he did so. His next move was to the door to make sure it was locked and barred to the outside and adding his own magic to the barriers already set in place. Defences taken care of for the moment, he headed into the back room and got another cup of eggnog for Sarah from out of the pot and re-warmed his own before heading back out to await the women he now had in his life.

He didn't have to wait long, as he set the cups down a watery laugh came down the stairs announcing the arrival of the two women. Sarah must have clothes still left here from her stay during thanksgiving; because she was come down the stairs in . . . he had to double check because he was sure he was correct, because it looked like she was wearing the same outfit she had worn during her Run. She caught his stare and shrugged.

"It's my lucky outfit. After all I had gone through wearing it; I couldn't just throw it away."

"Ah, of course. A reminder that what you had been through had been real."

"Yes." She turned to Kelandra and smiled. "It's too bad that you guys didn't have cameras back then, I would have loved to see a picture of him when he was little. Was he a cute baby?"

The question told Jareth who they had been discussing while they were upstairs and he felt a small bit of pity for Hoggle, who was about to be embarrassed completely by his mother.

"He was adorable, but still just as full of mischief as he is now." Kel said, with a smirk creeping onto her face. A fact he noticed when he realized her answer made no sense. Hoggle went out of his way to avoid trouble, so who were they talking about? She raised her eyes at his confused expression before continuing. "One time, during the Mayday festival, he dressed up as a peasant and spent the whole day without his caretakers. I was sure his father was going to cancel the whole thing and send everyone out to find him. Lucky for him, someone had given him a warning, though he would not say by whom."

"Lady, your wish is in danger of being _revoked_." He managed to grind out through his outrage. Sarah spun to him instantly her hands coming to rest on her hips and a scowl to match his own turned in his direction.

"Hey! I asked her to tell me, so if you want to be mad at somebody then you can just be pissed off at me. I didn't think it was such a big deal, your Kingliness. Since we're supposed to be friends now!"

He stormed over to her and was surprised when, for the first time, she shrunk back a little from his anger. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that she had been scared enough for one night, he held it before letting it out on a soft sigh, before spinning away from them towards the door.

"My past is my own Lady Sarah and I decided who is privy to it, _not _the Lady Kelandra. It is a dangerous thing to know, and if there is something I think you should know, I will inform you of such. Lady Kelandra, Precious, I bid you a good night. The question I came to ask has been answered and I have much to do tomorrow."

Edict given he started to go when a small hand tugged on his sleeve. His eyes met uneasy green as she seemed to be working her way back into the panic she had been in when she had burst threw the door.

"Can I stay at your Castle tonight?"

"I beg your pardon?" He asked incredulously, sure he had heard her wrong.

"I don't want to go home tonight and I don't want Kel to get in trouble, this way when my father sends the police here, they won't find me. So please?"

"Precious . . ."

"I won't get in your way tomorrow I promise. I will spend most of the day practicing on your piano and go home later in the evening when the neighbours come over for dinner."

He had intended to tell her no, till he realized she was afraid to go home. She was worried she would only be hurt more by the people who were supposed to protect her, with their accusations and their lectures. He sighed, headache already forming, along with the plan he had in mind.

"You may come with me, though we will not be staying at the castle and I will be informing your father as to your whereabouts. Though I promise, you will not have to go home till you wish to." He dropped into a bow and held his hand out to the girl, who stopped to think about the conditions he had set, before gingerly placing her hand inside of his. Giving a nod to Kel as he rose, he drew her close to him, before teleported them.

OXOXOXOX

It felt like she was being held safe in a warm hug and it was over before she could get too use to the feeling. Opening her eyes showed that they were now standing the entry way of, what appeared to be a house.

The front room had an open lay out between the kitchen, dinning area and the living room behind them to the north was the front door and a glass wall to the south directly in front of them, showed what seemed to be a dark yard with the moon glowing off water, a pool or a pond maybe, though it was too dark to see clearly. The east and west side each had a hallway off them and was too dark to see much more them that.

A tug on her hand drew her attention away from her inspection of her new surrounding as she followed him into the kitchen and over to the phone.

"If you would dial your home, I will talk to your father."

A nod as she did as he asked her before turning to take in the kitchen. It felt like a show room and had very little on the surfaces. She was willing to bet not much got made in the room. It was done in dark marble and stainless steel, and Sarah wanted to start baking in it.

"Mr. Williams? Good evening. This is Jareth Marquis. I am calling to inform you that your daughter is at my house, and was in no condition to travel home, even if she had wanted too, which she did not. So I offered to let her stay in my guest room and I will bring her home tomorrow evening after our regular lesson."

She tried to hear what her father said but his answer was too hard to make out, though whatever it was did not make the Fae in front of her very happy.

"You may certainly call the cops but it will do you no good sir, as a diplomat from another country the land my home stands on does not count as American soil and they would be inciting an international incident for no reason, because the last time I check 18 is considered an adult here and she can choose to stay where she wants. Now I bid you good night and I will see you tomorrow."

The phone was slammed back on to its cradle and when he reached out to take her hand again and the warm safe feeling swept through her.

"Your father has to be the most insufferable human I have ever had the displeasure of meeting."

"I know I have to live with him."

"Do you? Hmmm. In any case come with me and we'll get both of us settled for the night. The maids come through once a week so I know everything well be in order. There should even be shampoos and other such things in your rooms' privy if you wanted to wash up."

So saying he opened the door on the left side of the darkened right hall way and there was only two doors that she could see in the hall. The one he was holding open and the second one was across from it.

"Is that your room?"

"When I stay here? Yes, that is the room I use."

A nod of acknowledgement as she slipped into the room past him and he closed the door for her softly allowing her privacy. The click seemed too loud in the sudden silence and she was suddenly cold and afraid.

"I won't lose." She whispered. She was better then this. One pathetic boy was not going to be allowed to change her. With the though in mind she moved to take in the room she found herself in.

It was painted a pale blue and had a bed and a dresser and a vanity all painted white with a flower motif on them and two plain white doors. One opened up in to an empty closet and the second lead into heaven. The bathroom was huge and done all in white and black marble. A shower took up one wall with water streams that seemed to come from both sides of the strangely long shower and the counter and additional vanity and mirror took up the shortest wall and the wall opposite the door held the biggest bathtub she'd ever seen. It could easily hold three people and had jets set into its side and seemed to have its own heating setting to keep the water warm after you filled it.

"Oh my God! I've died and gone to my favourite paradise. Wow . . . Just wow. Don't get too use to it Sarah Williams, your only borrowing it." She reminded herself sternly, before reaching out and turning the water on to fill the small piece of heaven she'd been offered.

XOXOXOX

He allowed himself a small smile at Sarah's reaction to the bathroom before moving on to the now numerous things he had to put in place in the next week. The first being a call to Kelandra to ask her to preserve the clothes Sarah had been wearing when she'd arrived at her shop that night. He then had to ask her if Christmas could be held at her place rather then at his castle. His next call was to the police to report the treatment of his Heartmate and after promising to arrive the next day with the clothes and to give his statement, he set about readying the present he now knew to get for the girl he found himself irrevocably bound to. When a soft voice singing interrupted his thoughts he was startled by the sound for a second, the house was normally as quiet as a tomb. Sarah, for she was the only other person in the house must have been singing while in the tub because he could, if he strained his rather acute hearing, hear small splashes.

_**In the quiet time of evening**_

_**When the stars assume their patterns**_

_**And the day has made his journey**_

_**And we wondered just what happened**_

_**To the life we knew before the world changed**_

_**When not a thing I held was true**_

_**.  
**_

_**But you were kind to me and you reminded me**_

_**.  
**_

_**That the world is not my playground**_

_**There are other things that matter**_

_**And what is simple needs protecting**_

_**My illusions all would shatter**_

_**But you stayed in my corner**_

_**The only world I know was upside down**_

_**And now the world and me, I know you carry me**_

_**.  
**_

_**You see the patterns in the big sky**_

_**Those constellations look like you and I**_

_**Just like the patterns in the big sky**_

_**We could be lost we could refuse to try**_

_**But we made it through in the dark night**_

_**Would those lucky guys turn out to be**_

_**But that unusual blend of my funny friend and me**_

_**.  
**_

_**I'm not as clever as I thought I was**_

_**I'm not the boy I used to be because**_

_**You showed me something different, you showed me something pure**_

_**I always seemed so certain but I was really never sure**_

_**But you stayed and you called my name**_

_**When others would have walked out on a lousy game**_

_**And you could've made it through**_

_**But your funny friend and me**_

_**.  
**_

_**You see the patterns in the big sky**_

_**Those constellations look like you and I**_

_**That tiny planet in a bigger guy**_

_**I don't know whether I should laugh or cry**_

_**Just like the patterns in the big sky**_

_**.  
**_

_**We'll be together till the end is nigh**_

_**Don't know the answer or the reason why**_

_**We'll stick together till the day we die**_

_**If I had to do this all a second time**_

_**I won't complain or make a fuss**_

_**When the angels sing that that unlikely blend**_

_**Of those two funny friends**_

_**.  
**_

_**...That's us**_

.

It was . . . Not a piece he would have expected a young girl to sing. There was no grunting noises and no mention of sex that seemed to fill the songs most teens listened to. He had to admit though that he thought it fit _them_ and he greatly hoped that what she sang would some day come to pass.

XOXOXOXOX

It had been a simply hellish week for poor Sarah. The police report had giving her father a sympathy vote from the public but lost him the other lawyer's support for the up coming vote. She was still "getting over the metal shock" for another 3 weeks and he father had called Jareth and told him point blank that the experience had left his daughter to traumatized to be alone with any male and that she would no longer need his help for lessons.

"It's not fair." She told her mirror, which had been frighteningly blank during the week leading up to Christmas and she had seen neither hide nor hair from any of her Underground friends, Jareth included. Had her father's dismissal undone the deal they had brokered? Was the last time she was to see him when he had delivered her to her parent's home at her own insistence?

"Sarah. We're going, grab you bag and we will drop you off at Kel's on the way." Her father's voice broke her ruminations and with a glare at her bedroom door she grabbed her suitcase and headed down to the only part of her "punishment" she was looking forward too, half her period of grounding would be spent locked up at Kel's for Christmas.

XOXOXOX

As the door shut behind her father Kel pulled her into a long hug.

"Are you okay hon? Really?"

"Other then going stir crazy I'm fine Kel really. It's not his normal style to hurt me; bruises can be recorded and shown in a courtroom. Though he's decided I'm too mentally scarred to go to university this year."

"Oh honey."

"Don't worry about it. I don't want to think about it for the next little while. I'm going to enjoy this holiday and I'll worry about it afterwards, okay?"

An unhappy look from her friend before she nodded and started to tug Sarah toward the kitchen, where the food they would use to make their holiday meal was arranged.

"Thank God. I am so looking forward to this. I haven't left my bedroom except for school in a week and my mirror won't let me talk to the people I most want to see."

"He's been busy . . . With Royal commitments on the other side. He has been nagging me to find out how you are every day but . . ."

"But since my dad didn't let me talk on the phone to anyone how could you know?" Sarah finished for her, glad at least that he wasn't vanishing from her life and had cared enough to ask after her.

"Right. No worries though. He's coming here for dinner tomorrow and wanted to know if we would wait for him to open presents."

"Presents -! Oh no KEL! I never got to go and order my present for Jareth! I don't have anything to give him . . ."

"I'm sure he'll understand that you were stuck at home, honey. Just tell him he'll have to wait a little bit for his present. Honest, it won't be a big deal. Okay?"

A sad nod before they settled into get the meal ready.

XOXOXOXOX

Sarah was woken up Christmas morning when the bed she was lying on shifted underneath her. Opening her eyes showed her, Jareth of all people, lying on his side watching her. He was dressed in tight red leather pants and a white poet's shirt. In fact the only allowance for the holiday were the tiny bells he now wore through his delicately pointed ears, which she could see easily for once because his hair was gathered in the back by a black leather hair thong.

"_**Jareth**_." she breathed out in a happy _C__all_, more glad then she wanted to say that he was _there_. "Merry Christmas, I missed you." she offered honestly in a sleepy murmur.

"Merry Christmas, Precious. I am sorry to disturb your sleep but I wanted to confirm your good health with my own eyes."

"Hmm." she hummed as the warmth that always seemed to surround him, began to seep into her and had her snuggling into him and the covers. "You always feel so warm and safe to me. Wake me up when Kel starts to get breakfast going okay?" she told him before the part of her that had been slowly freezing in his absence unclenched and she dropped back into a sleep, her body unconsciously melded along his lean one.

He stayed absolutely still, freezing the moment into memory, her choice to trust in him while she slept and acknowledgement of her need of him, giving him back some of the power over her that he had lost. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled a little at the soft sigh she gave.

It had been a simply hellish week. With royal meetings and planning for the upcoming new year ball he had, had no time to check in on Sarah, as his absence would have been noticed quickly and he would rather keep her safe from his world for as long as possible, regardless of the cost to himself. He had slowly gotten very cold and weak without her and his worry over what could have happened to her had caused him many sleepless nights. For all that she claimed the man never tried to hurt her, Jareth knew it was only a matter of time.

His only reassurance had been that she had not had to **wish** for him. She had _called_, him and several of the others many times, but to keep her safe he had closed the portal in her mirror and been forced to leave it blank.

"_Sarah_." He whispered the name out over her hair, filled with all the emotion he was forced to hide from her normally. A soft sweet sound to match the reverent way she'd whispered his own name when her eyes had slid open.

XOXOXOX

Yes I know it's not Christmas but I was when I was writing this out on paper and so oh well, you guys can suffer through Christmas in July.

LOL ummm this might be all you get for awhile so I hope you like it, for those that read Snippets I will be doing a glossing over of the prom, and for this I will do presents and dinner in the next chapter.

Ja ne

Kat

My Beta pointed out that I seem to have a song in each chapter . . . I would hate to disappoint so the info for the song used here is . . .

Artist: Sting

Song: My Funny Friend and Me

Album: The Emperor's New Groove OST


End file.
